Claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) is referred to as an anxiety disorder. Symptoms of claustrophobia generally manifest themselves during childhood or adolescence. Claustrophobic individuals, commonly referred to as claustrophobic individuals, fear closed spaces and restrictions such as elevators, airplanes, caves, locked rooms, basements. Many different situations or emotions can trigger claustrophobia. Even just thinking about some situations can be a trigger.
Claustrophobia is a psychological disorder that causes intense internal distress and physiological symptoms when an individual has to stay indoors. Anyone who experiences high levels of anxiety can be in danger of developing a phobia. One of the most common phobias is claustrophobia, also known as fear of enclosed spaces. An anxiety disorder like this is thought to be caused by a combination of inherited vulnerability and life experience. The factors that trigger claustrophobia can be listed as follows;
- Elevator
- Tunnels
- Caves
- Crowded environments
- Public transportation
- Small cars
- Cars with centralized locking system
- Test booths
- Rooms without windows
- Airplane
What are the symptoms of claustrophobia?
Symptoms of claustrophobia overlap with symptoms of other anxiety disorders. Claustrophobia can often cause physiological problems with symptoms such as heart palpitations, tremors and difficulty breathing. The common experience of claustrophobia is the feeling and fear of losing control. Individuals who experience intense claustrophobia will want to avoid actions such as getting into an elevator or boarding an airplane, which adversely affects the quality of daily life of these individuals. Panic attacks, sudden fears, anxiety and distress can also cause some symptoms;
- Sweating
- Tremor
- Hot flashes
- Difficulty breathing in and out
- Feeling like you are drowning
- Rapid heartbeat
- Chest pain, chest tightness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Pain in the head area
- Feeling faint
- Feeling like the body is going numb
- Dry mouth
- Tinnitus
- Mind fog
- Loss of control
- Don't be afraid to die
What Causes Claustrophobia (fear of being in confined spaces)?
Phobias such as claustrophobia are linked to the intensive functioning of specific brain parts. It varies from individual to individual, and the exact causes are unknown. However, some phobias, and claustrophobia in particular, can be caused by
Childhood trauma: Psychiatrists recognize that social factors such as childhood trauma contribute to the development of claustrophobia. For example, leaving a child locked in a closed room during childhood as punishment or for other reasons can lead to the development of claustrophobia in the future.
Perception of near space: The concept of near and far is perceived by the human brain in various ways. There are certain neurons that respond to objects that are close to or approaching the body. Most people have a slight perceptual bias to the left when viewing near space objects. The bias shifts to the right for distant parts. The speed of the shift from left to right as distance increases can be used as a marker for the perceived size of near space.
Genetics: There may also be a hereditary cause of claustrophobia. According to research, individuals with claustrophobia are more likely to have a mutation in the GPM6A gene.
How is claustrophobia diagnosed?
To determine the diagnosis of claustrophobia, the specialist asks questions based on the symptoms and the history of the individual. These questions can contribute to the identification of related problems such as social anxiety problems, post-traumatic stress disorder problems or panic disorder.
There are no physical or laboratory tests for claustrophobia, but the specialist can make the usual observations and questionnaires such as the claustrophobia scale, claustrophobia questionnaire (CLQ). The specialist needs to determine that the diagnosis of claustrophobia meets the DSM-5 standards.
How is claustrophobia treated?
Individuals with claustrophobia may panic in an enclosed space, such as elevators, airplanes, or crowded rooms. They can overcome claustrophobia or other phobias by using an appropriate treatment technique. This condition can be treated like any other anxiety problem. Treatment methods for claustrophobia include the following;
- Psychotherapies
- Medication, Exposure therapy
- Virtual reality
- There are different methods of therapy.
Claustrophobia is not a condition where the individual can overcome his/her fear by staying in a confined space. However, it is not appropriate for claustrophobic people to be left alone in a confined space by the individuals around them to get rid of this fear. On the contrary, this situation may cause worse consequences.